How Rotary International president Ian Riseley went from being a guest speaker to leading 1.2 million members
Club president visiting Hong Kong tells City Weekend about the group’s vision, his efforts to get members to embrace gender equality, and what the world needs to pay attention to
When chartered accountant Ian Riseley was invited by one of his clients to make a speech at a Rotary Club in 1977, he had no idea the event would change his life.
The Australian had never previously heard of the international service organisation, and wondered what it did. That day, he spoke about income tax, one of his areas of expertise, and the animated encounters he had with others there left a lasting impression.
So when a client called him up later to invite him to another meeting, he leapt at the opportunity.
“At first, I was motivated to join because of the networking opportunities,” Riseley, 71, admitted. But over time he came to understand its simple yet ambitious objective: to make a difference in the world.
It was in 1978 when Riseley became a Rotarian, as members of the group are known, after discussing the matter with his wife, Juliet. Since then, the couple’s lives have focused extensively on the club, and it has given them many valuable friendships in return.
By any standard, Rotary International is a formidable presence in the world, now administering more than 35,500 clubs.